TOP 5
TOP 5… TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN AGRICULTURE. By: Chireez Fredericks
Since the birth of human civilisation, agriculture has drastically changed. Plagued by numerous challenges such as land scarcity, climate change, the spread of pests and diseases and the loss of biodiversity, farming has gone from being a labour-intensive industry to a strategic and logical decision-making one. And rightly so! According to the World Bank, agriculture is critical to the African economy as it employs 65-70% of Africa’s workforce and typically accounts for 30-40% of the GDP. This means that Africa must maximise agricultural productivity to ensure food security and economic growth. This is where the latest technological innovations come into play. Let's take a look at the top 5 technological innovations in agriculture:
Agricultural robotics In large field operations, a shortage of labour is a critical problem facing farmers. This is where agricultural robots play an important role. These robots can be used for several tasks that will ease the burden on the farmers and allow them to focus more on improving overall productivity, without having to worry about slow farm processes. The primary role of agricultural robots is to tackle labour-intensive, repetitive and physically demanding tasks.
Aerial imagery Aerial imagery is captured using a satellite or a low altitude aircraft, such as a plane or a drone. The main advantage of aerial imagery is its ability to provide a bird’s eye view of a farm. With aerial images farmers can decide when pruning might be necessary by looking at the tree canopy from above. Aerial imagery is also essential for land mapping. The maps created from captured images are linked to land ownership records to create formal land registers and keep track of land ownership. Farmers can feel secure about their land ownership as a result of this.
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Science Stars Agricultural Science Issue | www.sciencestars.co.za
